Texas TEKS 7.13.B

Social Studies7th GradeGovernment

The Standard

compare the principles and concepts of the Texas Constitution to the U.S. Constitution, including the Texas and U.S. Bill of Rights.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students identify shared principles, such as popular sovereignty, limited government, and separation of powers. They compare government structures and individual rights, then support each comparison with constitutional evidence.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students can name accurate similarities and differences between the two documents. They can explain how each limits government power and protects individual rights using specific provisions.
Common Misconceptions: Students may assume the two documents organize government in the same way or protect identical rights. They may also confuse federal powers with powers held by Texas.
How to Assess It: Give students short excerpts from both bills of rights. Ask them to identify one similarity, one difference, and evidence for each answer.

Lesson moves

Have pairs sort provision cards into Texas only, U.S. only, or both, then verify each choice with printed excerpts.
Ask students to write which document places stronger limits on government, using two specific provisions as evidence.
Play Constitution Match, where teams pair principles with examples from each document and explain each match for a point.
Students review a current Texas policy debate and identify which state or federal constitutional principle applies.

Keep exploring

Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.